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Old 01-14-2007, 09:24 PM
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_Wolf_ _Wolf_ is offline
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Location: Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas
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III. Programming
**A. The basics
**B. Stalling and Resetting
**C. What to do after Rippetoe
**D. General Questions
*****1. How much weight should I use?
*****2. What about sets and reps?

How much weight should I use?

Question - The first set seems really easy. Should I add more weight for the next few sets?

This really depends on the individual. As a newb, your ability to properly guesstimate the amount of weight you need for your first workout is going to be pretty piss-poor. Usually anywhere from 5-15% below your best 5-RM is reasonable for someone who has an experienced eye watching them. An unconditioned novice will require a greater drop for their 3x5 than a conditioned athlete who is inexperienced with weight training. If you are training by yourself, you'll probably want to start with closer to 10-15% less weight than your 5-RM.

Assuming you have calculated this, and you do your first few workouts progressing in weight with each workout, if you get to a workout where the first set of 5 feels stupidly easy,

1st - Make sure you counted the weight properly (oh yeah, adding a 5 to each side means I add 10 to the total weight, not 20)
2nd - Make sure you have added 5ish pounds to the press/row/clean or 10-15 lbs to the squat/deadlift from your previous workout

If that is also true, then just keep the weight, do your sets, and make a mark in your notebook to increase the weight next time by perhaps an extra 5 lbs above what your normal incrementing is.

in other words, if your last workout was 200 lb squats, and this workout, 210 lbs felt stupidly easy on the first set, do your other 2 sets with 210, and write in your notebook "Use 225 next time".

It is better to slowly and progressively add weight than to pile it on like a madman. Take your time, growth takes time. If you rush it, you invite injury and halted progress.

Question - Is it better to use heavy weights and "loose" form or lighter weights and proper form?

If you cannot do the exercise properly, then you are using too much weight, period. Cheating is a technique that you might see some professional bodybuilders use, and even some advanced trainees as well. However, cheating is a technique that, oddly enough, requires quite a bit of knowledge to properly apply.

Until you can answer this question for yourself in a logical fashion, you should avoid cheating. There is a time and a place for a bit of "body english" in your exercise execution, but you need to find this answer out for yourself through experience. As long as you need to ask this question, then the answer is always "use the lighter weight"

If I deadlift a lot of weight and bench a lot of weight, how heavy should the dips and hyperextensions be?

Honestly, it doesn't really much matter. The dips and hypers (and chinups and arm work) are all accessory work. They are unnecessary, they are additional fluff that can make the pot sweeter, but they aren't something to obsess over.

Use enough weight with the dips and hypers so that you can get a training affect, but DO NOT, under ANY circumstances, add so much weight that it interferes with your next workout. Usually, most novices will NOT need much in the way of the chins, dips or arm work or especially hypers, as the lower back gets hit pretty hard with the squats, deadlifts, rows and power cleans. After a month or maybe more, the body will probably be able to tolerate the increased workload, and some additional work such as this is possible and perhaps even desireable.

Add weight judiciously. Add weight carefully. Add weight slowly. A little at a time this workout, a little at a time next workout, small increments. If you are not sure if you should add weight (or if you are not sure if you should add the accessory exercises) then DON'T. You probably don't need the extra weight yet.

Question - How can I add weight for dips, chinups, pullups, pushups situps, and hyperextensions?

For dips and chinups, get a dip belt
For pushups, stick some weight in a backpack.
For situps and hypers, hold weight across your chest/back.

Question - Where can I get fractional plates so that I can go up in 2 and 3 pound increments? All I have are 2.5lb plates

http://store.yahoo.com/workoutideas/hagrwiflolpl.html

http://www.prowriststraps.com/inc/sdetail/36737

http://www.hypertrophy-research.com/...croweights.pdf

Question - I squat way more than I deadlift, what gives?

Normally proportionated people with balanced development will always deadlift more than they squat.

ALWAYS.

If you squat more than you deadlift, then 99% of the time, the answer to this lies in one of the following:

1) You aren't squatting deep enough
2) You aren't squatting deep enough
3) You aren't squatting deep enough
4) You aren't squatting deep enough
5) You aren't squatting deep enough

If think you are squatting deep enough, then chances are good that one of the following solves the mystery:

6) You aren't squatting deep enough, no matter what you say (post Videos?)
7) You need chalk
8) You hate deadlifting because you're a wussy
9) You hate deadlifting for some other reason, but you're probably a wussy
10) Your grip sucks

Yes, I'm being funny. However, it is biomechanically impossible for an injury-free individual of balanced development to squat more than they deadlift without excessive lifting equipment assistance.

PERIOD.

If you really do squat more than you deadlift, and you honestly have trained both with equal intensity and effort, then I'd drop an entire paycheck that you simply haven't evaluated yourself honestly.

If you have posted a video of your squats, you own chalk, your grip is strong, and you like deadlifting, but you still squat more than you deadlift, it is probably one of the following:

11) You have very small hands
12) You have insanely stumpy arms

#11 is common in very short, stocky women. Short = small hands, stocky = short fingers.

Guys? I don't want to hear your excuses, unless you have injuries. Just admit you're being a puss with the deadlifts and move on.
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